Vibrator toy gun



June 30, 1959 J. w. RYAN VIBRATOR Toy GUN 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 18. 1957 NN uw Q ww mx E AN wm NNN. QQ M JOHN W. RYAN,

IN VEN TOR.

HERZ/6 8 JESSUP,

By MTWORNEVS" June 30, 1959 J. w'. RYAN 2,892,289

Y VIBRATOR Toy GUN Filed March 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 a, f3 JOHN W. RYA/v, j 6 INVENTOR.

HERZ/c a ./Essue By A TTORNEVS.

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June'30, 1959 J. w. RYAN vIBRAToR Toy GUN 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 1 8, 1957 :fgwiw :lgi: iw i,

y U. Mw. www VT EE Rm JM mV am June 30, 1959 J. w. RYAN VIBRATOR TOY GUN 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 18. 1957 JOHN W. RYAN,

INVEN TOR .i NN `KIII".

HERZ/6 8 JESSUP,

A TTORNE ys.

vr B t States This invention relates to a -toy made to simulate a gun, and more particularly an automatic gun, such as an automatic rile or portable machine gun.

A toy gun should be made of relatively -few parts of simple design for rapid and efficient mass production and assembly operations. It should be simple in operation so that very young children can play with it. To appeal to older children it should very closely resemble its prototype in appearance and mode of operation, including sound and other effects.

At the same time, the toy gun should be perfectly safe for a child to play with, with minimal possibility of injury to himself or his companions when used in play. Furthermore the toy gun mechanism should be rugged and durable in construction to withstand the rough treatment and mishandling to which children typically subject toys in play.

Accordingly, it is an important object of my invention to provide a toy gun of etlicient design and simple opera- .tion so that a relatively young child can play with it.

Another object is to provide a toy gunof rugged and durable construction, including a minimum number of parts, which is capable of economical mass-production. A further object is to provide such a gun which will dramatically simulate its prototype, and will at the same time be perfectly safe for a child and his companions in all sorts of play.

Additional objects will become lowing description.

Stated in general terms, my invention comprehends the provision of a toy gun containing a mechanism comapparent from the folprising a rack means together with an operatively asso ciated rocker means wherein linear motionV of the former -is converted into oscillating movement of the latter. Clapper means, cap tiring means, `water squirting means, or other means, individually or in combination, are oper atively associated with the rocker means. Power means, such as resilient power spring means for example, are included to impart linear movement to the rack means. This mechanism `is suitably housed ina frame `means simulating a gun, preferably of the automatic rifle or portable machine gun type.

A more` detailed description of specific embodiments of my invention is given with reference to the drawings,

wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view in section showing one embodiment of the toy gun mechanism;

Figure 2 -is a` cross-sectional view taken on the line ,"2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l; Figure 4 is a partial perspective View showing the toy lgun mechanism of the embodiment shown in Figure l;

Figure l5 is a partial side elevational View with portions broken away taken as along a line 5 5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6'is a viewV similar to that of Figure 5, 'but showing the mechanism in a cocking position;

Figure 7 is a side elevational View with portions broken aterlt 2 away showing another specilic embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 8 is a view similar to that of Figure 7 showing still another embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures v l to 6, inclusive, of the drawings, a rack 10 having-a straight edge 11 on its upper side and teeth 12 on its lower side is slidably disposed between an upper guide strip 13 and lower guide strips 14 and 15, as well as between two guide strips 16 and 17. The guide strips 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 form a vguide slot wherein the rack 10 is slidable longitudinally. The rear lower guide member 14 extends only part Way along the slot and the front lower guide member 15 also extends only part way. A cooking knob 18, designed for convenient grasping by the fingers, is fixed to the rear portion of the rack 10.

The assembled guide members and rack are mounted in portions of a toy gun frame 19 simulating a gun barrel 21 and receiver 22. The housing 19 also comprises a hand grip 23 and a magazine 24. The housing 19 preferably is made of two half portions 19a and 19b which can conveniently be tted together after the gun mechanism is mounted therein, as shown. lA pair of side strips 26 and 27 preferably are mounted inside the barrel 21 and receiver 22 to reinforce the same. The rack 1t), guide members 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 and the side strips 26 and 27 preferably are made of metal, such as steel, but can be made of other materials, such as plastics materials. The housing 19 preferably is made of plastics materials, but may be made of laminated wood, metal or other materials, as desired. 'Ille rear end of receiver 22 is preferably closed and contains a reinforcing block 28. A pin 29 is mounted transversely in the rear portion of receiver 22 to serve as a stop for the rack 10. The rack 10 is provided with a notch 31 to strike against the pin 29 when the rack is pulled backward in the cooking action to be described. The forward end of the barrel 21 is provided with an aperture 32 for insertion or removal of the rack lil. A pin 33 is mounted transversely in the barrel 21 near the forward end thereof. A coil spring 34 serves as the power means for imparting linear motion forcefully to the rack 10. The forward end of the spring 34 is mounted on pin 33 and the rearward end is mounted on a shank 36 of cocking knob 18 between the rack 10 and j the knob 18.

A rocker 37 is associated in operative relationship with the rack 10 so that linear motion of the rack imparts a rocking orroscillating motion to the rocker 37. The rocker 37 comprises a beam 38 having an upwardly extending tooth 39 on one end thereof, and another upwardly extending tooth 41 on the other end thereof. VEach of the teeth 39 and 41 is adapted to tit between a pair of adjacent teeth 12 extending downwardly from rack 10 as best shown in Figures 4 and 5. Fastened to beam 38 is a resilient or springy clapper actuator 42. .Also fastened to beam 38 is a rocker support 43. A pivot pin 44 is fixed transversely in an upward extension 46 of the rocker support 43.

The pin 44 extends transversely through a downwardly extending arcuate slot 47 cut through the side wall of the toy gun housing 19 at the rear of barrel 21. The

.slot 47 is positioned and dimensioned so that when the pin 44 is in the upward end Vof the slot, as shown in l'the -outer end of pin 44 to retain the pin in the slot 47.

On a forward extension 51 ofthe rocker support `43,

Patented .lune 30, 1959` a desired frequency` of oscillation will be 'imparted tol the rocking motion as the rack is impelled from a rearward position in receiver 22 to a forward position in barrel 21 by the tension in coil spring 34.

A rearwardly extending portion 56 of rocker'37 is pointed to fit into a notch 57 cut in the upper end of trigger 58. The notch 57 is cut at a co-operating` angle similar to that of the point on the rearward extension 56 so that the trigger will tightly engage the rearward extension 56 and stop any rocking motion of the rocker 37 when the trigger 58 is in a forward position as urged under the tension in a loaded spring 59 mounted on a pivot point 61. The spring 59 normally is loaded with one end thereof bearing against the bottom of grip 23 and the other end thereof bent transversely and `bearing against the backside of trigger 58, as shown in Figure 1.

An arcuate portion 62 of the trigger 58, formed on the forward side thereof, extends through a slot cut in the forward end of the grip 23, near the top thereof. When the trigger 58 is urged rearwardly to the position shown in phantom in Figure 1, the rocker support 43 is disengaged at the rearward extension 56 thereof, and the beam 37 is set into a rocking or oscillating motion, as shown in phantom in Figure 1. When the pressure on trigger 58 is again released by removing the finger from arcuate finger portion 62 thereof, the spring 59 again urges the trigger and notch 57 forward into engagement with the rearward portion 56 of the rocker support 43 to stop the rocking motion.

While the rocking motion is in progress, the clappe'r actuator 42, on its rearward swing, strikes the lupper side of an angular member 50 of a spring cl'apper 60. The clapper 60 is secured as by riveting at its lower end to the rear wall or diaphragm 64 of magazine 24 as by a rivet 65. The lower end 55 of the clapper actuator 42 'strikes the side of angular member 50, and, because of the flexibility of the clapper actuator 42, and the material in the angular member 50, the lower end 55 of the actuator sl-ips over the upper angular surface of angle 50 and snaps behind the end 45 thereof, as best shown in phantom in Figure l. During its forward swing, the lower end 55 of actuator 42 carries the angular member 50 forward part of the way through its forward swing because of its engagement with the end 45, as best shown in Figure l. Because of the resilience of actuator 42, the end 55 thereof again slips free of the end 45 of the angular member 50. When the angular member 50 is released from the lower end 55 ofthe actuator 42, it snaps rearward sharply causing a resilient strip portion 63 of the clapper to Vstrike resoundingly against the diaphragm 64 of the magazine 24. This results in the production of a sharp clap resembling the sound of la shot or an exploding cap. A-s the rocking motion of rocker 43 continues, this sharp 'clapping sound is repeated cyclically. These clapping sounds are produced in rapid succession as long as the trigger 58V is pressed into the grip 23. Eachsound accompanies each cyclic movement of the rocker 37 'until the rack 10 is fully drawn forward, or until the trigger 58 is again released so that spring 59 urges it to engage and hold the rearward extension 56 of rocker support 43 `in notch 57.

To cock the gun, the cocking knob 18 is grapsed be- 'tween the fingers and pulled rearwardly. When the rear end ofthe rack 10 engages the pin 29, as shown in Figure `1, the spring 34 is fully cocked. As a rearward pfull is applied to rack 10, the teeth 12 of the rack engage the forward tooth 41 of the rocker 37 and urge the rocker backward against the trigger 58. In so doing, the pivot pin 44 ofthe rocker is caused to slide downward in slot '47, as best shown in Figure 6. This permits 'a free motion 67; this apparatus is most clearly shown in Figures 1 of the rack 10 rearward into the receiver 22 as force is applied to cocking pin 18 to pull it toward the rear. of the gun. The gun is then cocked and ready for the initiation of a series of rapid fire sounds by pressing the curved portion 62 of the trigger 58 into the grip 23, as previously described. Manifestly the gun can be partially cocked to any desired extent as well as fully cocked at the option of the user tol give long or relatively short bursts by this means as well as by selective trigger manipulation to achieve variability in the play action.

The shank 36 of the cocking knob 18l extends through an elongate slot 66 in the housing 1 9. This is best shown in Figure 7. The forward end of the slot 66 and the transverse pin 33 at the forward end of barrel 21 serve as stops and prevent any possibility ofthe rack 10 shooting forward thro-ugh the opening 32 in the front end of the barrel 21 when the cooking operation is being performed. This feature and the other features ofthe gun described above render it safe for the operator and his companions in play. In Figure 7 is shown an embodiment of the invention wherein the gun mechanism is employed in a toy gun to squirt fluids such as water through a hole 67 in the for'- ward end of a barrel 68. The rack 10 diiers from the rack 10 of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6 in that a piston rod 71 is made to project forward on the front end of the rack and has fastened thereto a piston 72. The piston 72 is operatively associated with a cylinder4 73 formed in the barrel 68. The cylinder 73 is preferably positioned alongside of and parallel to the front part of spring 34.

A fluid passage 69 is formed in the lower portion of the wall of barrel 68 to extend from the front 'end of 'cylinder' 73 to the rear end of the barrel 68, as shown in Figure 7. A vertically positioned tubular member 74 is attached at its upper end to a nipple 76 formed on the end of the tubular passage 69. At the lower end of the tubular member 74 is attached a valve body 77 containing a flutter valve 78. The utter valve moves upwardly from a seat 79 when suction is produced in the cylinder 73 by the withdrawal of piston 72. A iluid or water supply chamber 81 is formed within the housing 19, shown here in the front end of the integral magazine 24. A filler cap 82 having an air inlet hole 83 therein is positioned over a iller hole 84 formed in the supply tank in an upper region thereof, as shown.

Water or other uid indicated at 86 is charged to the supply tank 81 and the iiller cap is placed over the ller lhole 84. The rack 10 is drawn backward to cock the gun in the same manner as described above in connection with the embodiment of Figures 1 through 6. Upon 'cocking the gun, the fluid 86 is drawn up into cylinder 73 by atmospheric pressure 'as a result of the suction in the cylinder. The suction acts through passage 69 and causes utter valve 78 to open upwardly so that uid can move up through tube 74 through passage 69 and into cylinder 73.

It will be seen, therefore, that the cylinder 73 is charged with uid'when the gun mechanism is cocked. The gun is tired as described previously by pressing trigger 58 into theggrip 23 at finger portion 62. This causes rocker 37 to rock or oscillate as previously described. As the rocker oscillates, the rack 69 is 'urged forwardly by spring 34 and fluid is intermittently ejected in spurts from hole 67 as piston 72 is intermittently forced farther and farther into cylinder 73. The fluid is ejected in the form of a series of spurts corresponding to the stepwise forward movement of the rack 10.

In theembodiment shown in Figure 7, a clapper actuthrough 6. 'In 'other respects, the toy gun mechanismis similar to or identical with lthatdescribed in connection with the embodiment of Figures 1 through 6 above.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 8 as applied to a'toy gun that fires pellets 87 through an opening 88 in the front end of a barrel 89. In this embodiment, the rack 91 is cocked by pulling rearwardly a cooking knob 92 extending through a longitudinal slot formed in the top of the receiver 90. A rod 95 is formed to extend Vforward from the front end of the rack 91 and to touch the rearmost pellet 87. The pellets are loaded into the gun barrel through` an opening `105 until a`magazine 110 is filled with pellets andan additional pellety 87 is positioned foriring at the lrear end of passage 120. The' magazine 110 and passage 120 are joined by an inclined connecting passage 100.

A plucking member 93 is made to extend forwardly from the front end of rocker 94. The outer end of the plucking member 93 preferably extends forwardly and upwardly as and for a relelasable catchA or plucker 96. A leaf spring 97 is riveted to the side of hand grip 98 at 99. The spring 97 is provided with a slot 101 to receive the portion 96 of plucking member 93. Above the slot 101 is formed an angular portion 102 positioned so that the outer end 96 of the plucking member, when urged forwardly in the rocking cycle, slides over the lower side of angular member 102 and through slot 101 to thus engage the spring 97.

When the plucking member 93 is forced to swing backward in the backward half of the oscillatory cycle of the associated rocker mechanism, the spring 97 is flexed rearwardly by the application of a pull through the end 96 of the plucking member 93, until the loading of the spring is sufficient to cause it to slip free of the ared end 96 and to thus snap free of the end 96. As the spring 97 snaps forwardly forcefully in this cycle of the rocking or oscillating motion of the rocker, the associated piston rod 103 also is snapped forwardly to cause a piston 104, attached to the forward end of the rod, to snap forwardly and impel pellet 87 forcefully through the chamber 91 and out of the forward opening 88 in the barrel 89. The upper end of spring 97 is disposed between anges 106 and 107 so that the piston rod 103 will move back and forth with a back and forth movement of the upper end of the spring 97.

A sprung mass 108 is attached to the end of a resilient strip member 109 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the embodiment of Figures 1 through 6 described above. In this case, however, a hammer member 111 is formed on the mass 108. An anvil 112 is mounted at 113 to the bottom of the cartridge chamber 114 adjacent the hammer member 111 so that the hammer strikes the forward side or face of the anvil 112 when the mass 108 swings rearwardly under the rocking or oscillating action of the rocker 94.

Advancement of caps in the strip 119 is accomplished through direct coupling to the rack 91, or by coupling to the rocker mechanism. In a simplified version of the latter, a flexible cap advancing member 116 extends down from the rocker 94. As the front end of the rocker 94 swings down and the mass 108 swings rearwardly, the front end 117 of the cap advancing member 116 engages behind an explosive charge 118 in a strip of caps in a roll 119. The roll of caps 119 is mounted on a pin 121 fixed in the side wall of the ammunition chamber 114. As the hammer member 111 strikes the surface of the anvil 112, it discharges an explosive cap charge 118. Before the hammer member 111 falls each time on the anvil 112, a fresh charge is moved into position for that firing operation by the cap advancing member 116.

It will be seen, therefore, that the action of firing each explosive cap charge takes place simultaneously on the rearward swing of mass 108 with the rearward swing of the plucking member 93 when a pellet 87 is projected from the opening 88 by spring 97 slipping free from the ared end 96 of the plucking member. Thus, the gun lires a cap synchronously or substantially simultaneously with the shooting of each pellet.

rIn another embodiment, the cap tiring mechanism of the embodiment in Figure 8 is replaced by the clapping mechanism shown in the embodiment of Figures 1 through 6, and likewise synchronously shoots pellets and produces an accompanying shot-like report from the snapping action of the clapper 60 against diaphragm 64.

In yet another embodiment, the cap firing mechanism described above and shown in Figure 8 is incorporated in the uid-ejecting `gun previously described and shown in Figure 7, which employs the rocker mechanism described above and shown in Figures 1 through 6. The g-un employing this combined mechanism fires a cap in synchronism with the ejection of each spurt of fluid.

In still another embodiment, the gun mechanism described above and shown in Figures l through 6, including the clapper and diaphragm, is employed in conjunction with the fluid-ejection apparatus described above and shown in Figure 7, and produces an accompanying shotlike report from the snapping action of the clapper 60 against diaphragm 64 synchronously, as stated, with the ejection of each spurt of fluid from the gun.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures can be made therefrom within the scope of my invention. By way of example, but not by way of limitation of such departures, the power means may take the form of a compression spring suitably arranged, or optionally, a torque spring transmitting a force to a rotary rack instead of a linear rack to actuate the rocker means. It is likewise recognizable that the actuator like 42 may directly transmit a clapping sound to a diaphragm, omitting the clapper such as 60. The invention is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent structure.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A toy gun comprising rack means, power means associated with the rack means for imparting linear motion thereto, rocker means operatively associated with the rack means for translating linear motion of the latter into oscillatory motion of the former, and clapper means associated with the rocker means for generating a clapping sound from the oscillatory motion of the rocker means.

2. A toy gun comprising rack means, power means associated with the rack means for imparting linear motion thereto, rocker means operatively associated with the rack means for translating linear motion of the rack means into oscillatory motion of the rocker means, clapper means associated with the rocker means for converting the oscillatory motion of the rocker means into a clapping sound, and trigger means associated with the rocker means for starting and stopping the oscillatory motion thereof.

3. A toy gun comprising rack means, power spring means connected to the rack means for imparting linear motion thereto, rocker means operatively associated with the rack means for translating linear motion of the rack means into oscillatory motion of the rocker means, clapper means associated with the rocker means for converting the oscillatory motion of the rocker means into a clapping sound, trigger means associated with the rocker means for starting and stopping the oscillatory motion thereof, and frame means simulating a gun for housing the said means.

4. A toy gun comprising actuator means, power means associating with the actuator means for imparting motion thereto, rocker means operatively associated with the actuatorY means for translating the motion of the actuator means into oscillatory motion of the rocker 'Z means,y clapper means associated with the rocker means for-converting the oscillatory motion of the rocker means into clapping sound, and trigger means associated witltv the rocker means for starting and stopping the oscillatory motion thereof.

5. In a toy gun, a longitudinally movable elongated rack, power means moving said rack in one longitudinal direction, means driven by said rack for converting said longitudinal movement into cyclical movement to operate a cyclical sound-producing means connecting with and operated by said driven means, and oscillating inertia means connected with said driven means to limit the rate of cyclical movement of said driven means and the rate of longitudinal movement of said rack.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said power means comprises a tension spring and manually operable means are provided to move said rack longitudinally against the force of said tension spring, and wherein trigger means are provided to selectively hold said rack against longi-` tudinalmovement by said spring. t l 7. The device'rofclaim 5 wherein saidginertiameans comprises 'an inertiamass driven in'oscil'lating movement byfjsaid'rack. Y Y Y t v u 'Y References Cited in the'i'ile of this patentV v UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,790,260 Y Douglas Apr. 30, l1957' bn `nhr3-HWI 

